Intel Core 5 221E vs Intel Core i3-14100F Comparison

The Intel Core 5 221E and the Intel Core i3-14100F are both LGA 1700 desktop processors, but the benchmark data shows they occupy completely different performance tiers. The Core 5 221E wins all 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, often by substantial margins. The average benchmark score for the Core 5 221E is 40144, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core i3-14100F averages 18519, ranking in the 72nd percentile. The Core 5 221E sits close to processors like the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, which scores 40081, a delta of just 0.2%, and the AMD Ryzen 9 270 at 40246, which leads the Core 5 221E by only 0.3%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Core 5 221E dominates the multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 25933 against 13084 for the Core i3-14100F, a delta of 98.2%. The R20 multicore test shows a similar pattern, with the Core 5 221E at 10891 versus 5495, a 98.2% advantage. The R15 multicore result is 2613 against 1318, a 98.3% delta. This consistent near-doubling of multi-threaded scores indicates that the Core 5 221E's additional cores and threads translate directly into rendering throughput.

Single-core performance also favors the Core 5 221E, but the gap is more modest. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Core 5 221E scores 3661 against 1847, a 98.2% delta. The R20 single-core test shows 1537 versus 775, a 98.3% difference, and R15 single-core is 368 versus 186, a 97.8% delta. The PassMark single-thread test narrows the gap considerably: the Core 5 221E scores 4147, only 9.8% ahead of the Core i3-14100F's 3778. This suggests that per-core architecture is similar, and the Core 5 221E's advantage in single-threaded work comes from its higher boost clock of 5.20 GHz against 4.70 GHz.

The largest deltas appear in math and encryption workloads. PassMark integer math shows the Core 5 221E at 117813 versus 45357, a 159.7% lead. Floating point math is 79028 against 35370, a 123.4% delta. Data encryption is 19205 versus 8922, a 115.3% difference. The find prime numbers test shows the biggest relative gap at 183.6%, with scores of 173 and 61. Data compression is 324285 against 176106, an 84.1% delta, while extended instructions are 18216 versus 11984, a 52% advantage. Random string sorting is 37686 against 17596, a 114.2% delta. The PassMark multithread score is 30510 versus 15420, a 97.9% difference, and physics is 2230 versus 1077, a 107.1% delta.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear separation: the Core 5 221E is built for sustained parallel workloads, while the Core i3-14100F handles lighter tasks. The Core 5 221E's 17 wins with deltas ranging from 9.8% to 183.6% mean that any workload that scales with core count will strongly favor it. The Core 5 221E also has a higher average benchmark score of 40144, which places it near the AMD Ryzen 9 270 (40246) and Intel Core i9-13905H (40313), both within 0.4%. The Core i3-14100F, with an average score of 18519, sits near the Intel Core i5-13420H (18511) and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300GE (18505), with deltas of 0% and 0.1% respectively.

For users running Cinebench-style rendering, the Core 5 221E delivers nearly double the multicore performance of the Core i3-14100F. For single-threaded responsiveness, the difference is smaller but still present, with the Core 5 221E leading by 9.8% in PassMark single-thread. The Core i3-14100F remains a functional processor for basic desktop use, but the recorded data shows no benchmark category where it takes the lead.

Architecture Differences

The Core 5 221E uses the Bartlett Lake codename, while the Core i3-14100F is based on Raptor Lake-R, part of the Raptor Lake Refresh generation. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process and use the Intel Socket 1700. The die sizes differ: the Core 5 221E has a die size of 257 mm², while the Core i3-14100F measures 163 mm². The Core 5 221E includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 730, whereas the Core i3-14100F has no integrated graphics, indicated as N/A.

The core configuration is a major difference. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Core i3-14100F has 4 cores and 8 threads. The L2 cache differs as well: the Core 5 221E has 2 MB per core, while the Core i3-14100F has 1.25 MB per core. The L3 cache is 24 MB shared on the Core 5 221E, double the 12 MB shared on the Core i3-14100F. Both processors have an L1 cache of 80 KB per core. The Core 5 221E was released in 2025, while the Core i3-14100F was released in 2024.

Specification Differences

The Core 5 221E has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the Core i3-14100F has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Core 5 221E has a TDP of 65 watts, the Core i3-14100F has a TDP of 58 watts. The Core 5 221E supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; the Core i3-14100F also supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, but no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for it. Both support ECC memory and have PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Core 5 221E includes UHD Graphics 730, while the Core i3-14100F has none. The part numbers differ: SRQDVQ659 for the Core 5 221E and SRMX2 for the Core i3-14100F. The launch MSRP for the Core 5 221E is $232, and for the Core i3-14100F it is $109. The Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads, the Core i3-14100F has 4 cores and 8 threads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 5 221E has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core i3-14100F has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How large is the single-threaded performance gap?

A: In the PassMark single-thread test, the Core 5 221E scores 4147 against 3778 for the Core i3-14100F, a delta of 9.8%.

Q: Does the Core i3-14100F have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Core i3-14100F has no integrated graphics, while the Core 5 221E includes UHD Graphics 730.

Q: What is the difference in Cinebench R23 multicore scores?

A: The Core 5 221E scores 25933 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Core i3-14100F scores 13084, a delta of 98.2%.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Core 5 221E has a boost clock of 5.20 GHz, while the Core i3-14100F has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Core 5 221E and the Core i3-14100F support ECC memory.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 5 221E wins every recorded benchmark category, so its territory is the entire test suite. Its most pronounced advantages are in prime number finding, with a 183.6% delta, integer math at 159.7%, and floating point math at 123.4%. These results make it the clear choice for computational workloads that stress arithmetic throughput. The data encryption test, with a 115.3% delta, and random string sorting, at 114.2%, also show large leads. For multithreaded rendering, the Cinebench scores around 98% higher across R15, R20, and R23, so the Core 5 221E is the processor to pick for multi-core render jobs.

The Core i3-14100F does not win any recorded benchmark, but the data does show where the gap is smallest. In the PassMark single-thread test, the Core i3-14100F trails by only 9.8%, meaning for lightly threaded tasks the performance difference is less dramatic. The extended instructions test shows a 52% delta, which is the smallest gap outside of single-threaded tests. The Core i3-14100F's lower TDP of 58 watts against 65 watts also indicates it draws less power, which may matter in constrained systems, though the Core 5 221E still delivers far higher performance per the benchmark scores. The Core i3-14100F also has a smaller die size of 163 mm² compared to 257 mm², and it is the only one of the two that lacks integrated graphics, so it requires a discrete GPU.